Washout-plug retainer



5 1930. v. WILLOUGHBY WASHOUT PLUG RETAINER Filed Aug. 7, 192

INVENTOR 7/020? fi lllau Mr .H.

ATTORNEY Patented Pet-v.25, 1930 7 iiluiu'rso f'-srA'r ss PATENT OFFICE vIoroR WILLOUGHRY, or InGEWoon, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR rO AMERICAN CAR 1 H V AN FOU DRY COMIEANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY WASHOUT-PLUG RETAINER Application filed August 7, 1928. Serial No. 297,980; I

, This inventionrelates generally to tanks and has particular reference to a means for securing washout plugs therein.

-' In tanks such as are used for transporting sulphuric acid, for example, it is customary to fill the'tank and discharge the lading therefrom through the top of the tank or through a tank'dome. It is desirable and necessary to thoroughly wash out these tanks at intervals,

16 and this is done by steam, water or other suitable washing medium injected intothe tank through the dome. To permit the washin-g medium to flow from the tank, an outlet isprovided which is normally closed by a suitable plug, which plug is removed while washing the tank. Means have heretofore beendevised to secure a plug inthe outlet n its normal position, and the present inven- 'V tion has iorone object the provision of a y';2(, strong and durable securing means for such plugs. Iv Another object of the invention is the provision of asecuring meansfor washout plugs for cartanks which is easy to manipulate to Y holding position, and easy to release to permit removal of theplug.

Aiurther object of the invention is the provision of a washout'plug reta ner which 'isadapted: to receive a syphon pipe for the va purpose of discharging the tank lading.

/ .Otherobjects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjuncti on with the accompanying dr awings,lin which I Figure lis' a top plan :view of the device; a Fig..2 is asidev elevation of the device; Fig. 3is a sectional View on the line OE-Fig.1; and 3 Fig.4 is a side elevation of the retalner.

'Referring' now more'particularly to the drawings in which similarcharacters of reference designate similar parts in the several .views", Fig, 2 discloses the bottom portion of a tank indicated generally at A, the tank bot- ,45 tom being provided with an opening 2, discharge outlet is provided which 1s 1nd1- stated generally at Band which is secured to I tute a supportlng bracket, and said web is the tank A adjacent the opening 2 byany suitable "means, the outlet b8111 tubular and Q the borethereof beingtapered downwardly at theupper end of the outlet to form a seat for a washout plug C, the upper edge of which contour of the plug is a cylindrical taper,

but this-is merely by way of example, as obviously the plug may assume any preferred or desired form. v i

For, securing the plug C in the outlet, a retainer D is provided, the same comprising a substantially circular tubular body portion 6 as shown in Fig. 3. The body portion of the retainer includes a head 8 and a reduced lower end 10, the latter having a plurality of slots 12 formed therein and being predetermined as to size whereby to nicely fit in the sump 4 of the plug, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The retainer D is provided with oppositely arranged binding lugs 14:, the upper edges of which are arranged intermediate the upper and lower edges of the retainer and preferably adjacent the head 8 and said upper edges are bevelled or inclined at an angle with respect to the horizontal plane through the retainer, as shown at 15 in Fig. 4. The

lugs are formed integral with the head 8 and they merge into the reduced end portion of the retainer, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, thereby providing reinforcements or stiffening the others, and the remainder merge into the,

head 8, as shown in Figs.2 and? The retainer D extends through a guide E and through the web F of a bracket, said web terminating at its end in downturned attaching flanges G secured to the legs 18 of T- shaped standards 20 by means of suitable ifasteners, such as rivets20; the standards being riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the tank, as shown at 22. v

The web F and the standards 20 constiprovided with an enlarged aperture 24 through which the head 8 ofthe retainer "35 the retainer.

protrudes or extends. The guide E is preferably a plate 25 having a central aperture 26 and oppositely disposed slots 28 to permit the insertion of the retainer, as will be hereinafter described.

The plate 24 is" provided on its" under-surface with oppositely'disposed cam surfaces 30 and 82 respectively, and the side edges ofthe; plate are 1 each provided with down- V turned stiffening-flanges :34. .As shown clearly in the drawings, the deepest ends of the cam surfaces are arrangedadjacent the slots 28 whereby'to define shoulders 29 f or limiting rotation of the retainen as here1 n.

after pointed out. p I V g '.Theretai ner,-' as before mentioned, is-tubular to v permit tank' lading to pass/therethrough into asiphon pipe to be conveyed to a suitable storage, and the bore of the retainer is'so formedthat the end of the siphon pipe-36 may extendinto, the sump 4,1 as clearlyshown in Fig. 2. Preferably the bore of the retainer is provided with a bevelled seat 38 with which a bevelled shoulder 40 formed on the siphon pipe 36 is adapted to contact to position the pipe.

- As is well 'nderstood, the*pipe; 36 is removable to permit the insertion of a suitable tool for freeing the retainer from its connection'with theguide, and in order to pertil its lower end engages or rests on the plug inthe recess 4 thereof. The'op'erator then will take a suitable-tool and insertitin'the bore of the retainer" at the squared upper portion thereof and rotate thejretainer clockwise'whereupon the lugs "14 will ride under the cam surfaces of'the retainer guide tov 5 wedge the retainer guide to ts proper posltion to firmly secure theplug C 'inthe outlet "B. The tank may; then be .filled. I To discharge the ladingrfrom the tank, the 's'iphon pipe'36 is inserted to the position shown '55 in Fig. 2-and the lading maybe conveyed to a suitable storage. By reasonqof the fact 'that'the plug C is provided with a recess, it will be apparent that practicallyall offthe substantially completely emptied. After the '65 squared flipper ends-um retainer boreand The lugs on the su f ce plug. I. tank hasbeenemptied, it is necessary to wash the outlet B and in doing this, the retainer is also pushedifrom its'position in the bracket." The tank'may then be wa'sh ed, the wash- I ,ing'mediumrflowing out through the outlet B, and when the tank has been completely washed, an operator-may re-enter the'tank and restore the plug O to its normal position and then securethe retainer in engagement with the plug I From the above description, isbelieved that the construction and "operationof the device of the present invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the' art'. The drawings disclose the preferred embodiment of theinvention, but it is to be understood that thedrawings'are merely byiway of example, and that variouschanges in the form and proportions of the device may be made within the scope of the ap pended claims without departing from the spirit ofthein- I vention. 1

What is claimed is: f' j 1. In a container, the combination of "a washout plug, of means for securing said plug comprising a bracketsecured to thecontainer, o

a retainer guidesecured to and depending from the bracket, and a retainerfextended' through said guide and normally engaging "the plug, saidretain'er being. movable vertically upward to be freed from the plug; i

' 2. In a container, the combination of a.

washout plug,of means for securing said plug comprising a bracketsecured to the container, a retainer guide secured" to, the bracket and i provided with oppositely arranged cam sur faces, a; retainer for engagement with the plug, and ineans on said retainer adapted upon rotation; thereof to engagethe' cam surfaces whereby the retainer is forcibly pressed "against the plug to secure the latter, said reta ner being adapted to be moved vertically 'upwardto be freed fromthe plug. I

3.II 1 a containena washout plug having a recess in the upper surfacethereof, a'retainer guide supported above the plug and" pro:

vided withioppositely arranged cam surfaces on the under side thereof, a tubular retainer extending through the guide and engaging the I plug in therecess'therein andoppositely disposed binding lugs on" the retainer adapted tank lading will flow into the recess, the 1at-=- '60 ter actingasasump and the tank maybe guide supported above the-plug and provided {with' i'oppositel arranged eama rrac a Trecess in the upper surface thereof, a retainer the under surface thereof,a tubular retainer in said guide and supportedby the plug, said retainerhaving openings in the lower end,

I thereof to establish communication from the container into the" retainer, oppositely disposed binding lugs formed on the retainer adapted'upon rotation of the latter to engage the cam surfaces whereby to wedge the retainer against the plug. 7

A washout plug retainer comprising'a tubular body portion having a plurality of I I slots at'its lower end, and oppositely disposed binding lugs intermediate the top and bottom edges, the bore of thebody portion having a bevel seat therein to support a siphon pipe and the upper end of the bore being square to take an operating tool. '6. In a container, a washout plug positioned below the interior surface thereof and provided with a recess to define a sump, a tubular retainer supported in the recess and I having a plurality of slots at its lower end, a retainer guide supported above the plug and through which the retainer extends, opposite- 1y disposed cam surfaces on said retainer guide and binding lugs onthe retainer adapted' to wedgingly engage the cam surfaces upon rotation of the retainer, whereby the retainer is forced to seated position in the washout plug recess.

7. In a container, a washout plug positioned below the interior surface thereof and provided with a recess to define a sump, a tubular retainer supported in the recess and having a plurality of slots at its lower end, a retainer guide supported above the plug and through which the retainer extends, oppositely disposed cam surfaces on said retainer guide, and vertically arranged stiffening 40 members formed on the retainer, some thereof merging with the bindinglugs to reinforce the latter. g

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 5 VICTOR 'WILLOUGHBY. 

